Wait for You
by pianogrl16
Summary: Reality had set in at the worst of timing for them; it always had ever since he had met her. But he would still wait for her, even after the world would give them nothing. CxZ
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Reality had set in at the worst of timing for them; it always had ever since he had met her. But he would still wait for her, even after the world would give them nothing. CxZ

_This is what would have happened after Chase would have come back from England, at least in my perspective. _

Wait for You

He had waited for her. He had waited for her for more than forever, it seemed like. But forever was the amount of time he would wait for Zoey Brooks, because to him, she was worth it.

Being with her gave him the thrill of what it was like to be young, high and joyful, and never feeling like the moment will pass by you too soon.

Hugging her and breathing in her fruity scent of kiwi and pineapple, seeing her face light up every time she would finally understand a chemical equation, and watching her sit on the hammock with the bright sunlight on her face, barefoot with a bag of grapes.

To him, she was an angel…an angel that he could never live up too, he was afraid once he stepped back onto the campus of PCA.

A semester without her was terrifying, and each day, he would tiredly walk from class at Covington, work on his homework for hours, and finally lay in bed, dreaming of what it would be like to hold her, see her smile again, and feel the salt water breeze glide by them as they watched the sunset.

Once he stepped off the airplane, gather his luggage, and pay a taxi to take him back on campus, he ignored the shocked stares and the collective gasps. His mind was focused on getting back to where he belonged after so many months apart.

His hair was still bushy, but had gotten less crazy, his guitar was strapped to his back, and his hands were sweating, underneath his suitcase.

He was nervous, because this was the moment of truth. The first time he would be standing face to face with Zoey after he admitted to being in love with her, after years of being in love with her silently, (well, maybe no so silently) after several relationships with other people on both parts, and a great friendship under their belts, he was more than nervous, he was a wreck, and the only thing he could hope for is that she was too because she had missed him, just like he had missed her.

He knocked on his dorm room door and stared at Michael's joyous expression. "Chase!" Michael reached out his arms and held him so tight; he got him off the floor. "So I take it you've missed me?"

"We all did, Chase. We all did."

And that was more to him than ever before.

She had heard the news once entering her dorm room. Lola and Quinn jumped onto her and told her the news nervously about him coming back. Zoey couldn't believe it; the prospect of him coming back here was nerve-racking and shocking to say the least. She never thought he could convince his parents to let him transfer schools in 1 year.

She had missed him and for 2 months, her heart broke at not being able to make witty remarks with him, play "would you rather," and she had even missed studying chemistry with him, and that was something to say.

But once she would see him again, things would change between them so much. Their friendship could crumble, tears would shed, and their lives would change forever because of her.

Zoey missed him, but not for the reasons Chase was hoping she would.

Sunlight turned to night and Zoey was walking along the campus, her blonde hair messy and ragged around her face and her face make-up less with bags around her eyes. She fiddled with her fingers once knocking on the door.

She saw Chase open the door, his face more matured and his hair less bushy, he broke out into a smile.

"Zoey!"

"Hey Chase."

She reached out for a hug and both squeezed each other so hard, they almost knocked over. "I missed you," Chase admitted once letting her go.

"Me too," Zoey choked out.

"Are you okay?"

"Chase, I need to tell you something."

He nodded and sat down with her as she bit her lip, crossed her legs and sat on the couch with him.

"I missed you so much over the semester and break, and I just…..you don't believe how great it is to see you again."

Chase could feel something suspicious coming.

"I know I promised to wait for you. And I did, I did for months, but over the summer, I was interning at my dad's company and I met someone else."

Chase's face fell as she looked up with sorrow in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry."

_Once you make a promise, you can't guarantee if it comes true, because sometimes, the world steps in and reality comes running through at the most terrible of timing. _

_It's like a quarter to 3  
And I just can't sleep  
Cause I'm thinking of you_

And all those times we cried  
Did we really try  
Now I'm dreamin' and blue

No matter where, we say goodbye  
I'll tell you baby, keep your head high

I'll wait for love  
I'll wait for you  
I'll wait for love  
I'll wait, will you?


	2. Chapter 2

Chase had never heard anymore silence in a room, his eyes were averted onto her teary face, her eyes waited for him to say something, but how could Chase say something? How can someone talk to a person who had betrayed them, a person who had betrayed you but still couldn't be more in love with? It was official, reality sucked.

"Chase." Zoey's face looked desperate; her eyes were red, her cheeks puffy, and her hand reaching out to hold his. "I thought you loved me," Chase finally muttered, as he put his hands on his face in pure confusion.

"Chase, I do. I do." Zoey reached for his other hand and held it. "But I'm not _in _love with you. There's a huge difference. Chase, please. You have to understand."

"And you have to understand the fact that we are no longer friends from this moment on."

"WHAT?"

Zoey stood up in protest and glared back angrily. "Chase, there was no written rule that if I didn't start a relationship with you, our friendship would halt. That's not fair to me."

Chase stood up and paced around the room. "It's not that, it's just that you broke a promise with me, promising that you would give us a try and wait for me. Zoey, I waited a semester for you, I waited for what seemed like forever, ignored other girls, and went crazy just so I could see you again. Do you know how many times I have imagined this scenario? And none of them ever involved you saying you were in love with another guy."

_Silence. _"Chase."

"I want you to leave."

"Chase, please. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke everything. I'm sorry I'm such a horrible person. But please let's just forget everything."

"I wish I could, Zoey. I wish I could. But that would mean lying to you that I am in love with you. And we both know that's something I can't just forget."

Zoey put her head down in sadness and walked slowly to the door, eventually putting her head up. "Even though we're not friends anymore, it doesn't mean that I never missed you or still don't." She slammed the door and Chase sat down on his bed, tears threatening to pour down.

_And even though life seems like nothing anymore, and even though the world will give us nothing, I still have no other choice but to wait for you, Zoey Brooks. _


	3. Chapter 3

Wait for You, Chapter 3

"Hey Zo." Lola's pretty face appeared at the side of the door, and she smiled as Zoey compiled several outfits together. "What do you think of this?" Zoey asked as she held a classic, strapless black dress to her body. "It's cute, but black is too common. That red one is perfect though for a night out on town." Zoey contemplated both until she picked up the red dress and then put some chandelier earrings on. "Thanks," she replied.

"No problem." Lola opened the fridge and retrieved two blixes for them. "So have you talked to him?" Zoey turned from the mirror and sighed. "No," she admitted. "Not since I told him." She sat down on the bed, frustrated. "This isn't how I imagined my life to be. I thought senior year would be awesome; I'd have you, Quinn, the beach, awesome grades, and a last hurrah before we head off to college. Now that it's starting like this, I'm afraid this is how it's going to be for the rest of the year. I'm not going to be able to enjoy my last days at PCA.

Lola joined her on the bed and hugged her. "Chase will come back to his senses. He's always been crazy about you, but your friendship means way more to him to actually let you go."

"Am I a horrible person?" Zoey asked.

"No, you are just human. You're a girl whose just scared and confused just like the rest of us. Welcome to reality, Zoey Brooks, this is what our lives will be like once we graduate and head off into the real world."

"Then I'm not sure I want to grow up."

"Me either, me either."

It had been 1 week, even though they had spent a semester apart, 1 week was torture for him, not being able to hear her voice or see her smile, and it drove him nearly to the brink. He opted to finally talk to her again and once he reached her dorm hall, he saw her waving and chuckling at a brunette haired guy with green eyes and a Porche pick her up and kiss her. He wrapped his arm around her and both walked over to the car, and headed off into the sunset.

_Everything wasn't supposed to be this way. _

_Growing up and seeing the person that you love find someone else was a terrifying thing for an individual. Those few childhood years when everything seemed all right end soon and the fact of growing up dawns on you once you are about to face a complicated reality when life isn't perfect. _

And right now that was dawning on Chase Matthews.


	4. Chapter 4

Wait for You Chapter 4

"Dude, you need to go out more," Michael replied. He threw a pillow at Chase, waking him up immediately.

"Hey! You just ruined my first good sleep for like, 3 weeks." Michael rolled his eyes silently. "Look, I know that you've been in love with Zoey since forever, but Chase, it's time to move on. She moved on a long time ago with Todd, and now it's your time too."

"I don't think it's easy to grow up that fast and let it go," Chase said, standing up and ruffling his bushy hair. "When I saw her walk out with that guy, she looked more in love than ever, that look she had in her eyes, of gleam and pride, it was the look she used to give me before."

"But times are older now, Chase." Michael sat down on the couch, staring at him sympathetically. "We're growing up now, we're seniors and we are no longer the little people that had first arrived at PCA."

Silence had filled the air with the wise words. Chase had never been more astounded with Michael, for sometimes he could act like a total airhead, but other times, he was the most philosophical and intelligent person he knew. People could surprise you like that.

"So what should I do?" Chase finally asked.

"Just get ready. Put on some nice jeans and a clean T-shirt. And you better comb that bushy hair of yours."

It was official. Chase had truly missed Michael when he was gone; more so than anyone else now, even Zoey.

"MICHAEL! I'm not going on a date." Chase pushed against Michael's strong hold on him as he pushed him inside Sushi Rox. "Chase, the only way to truly get over someone is to see whether you can survive a full date with someone else and not compare them to that person," Michael shrugged as he persisted with his pushing.

"Fine. Fine." Chase put his hands up and finally agreed to walk inside. "One date, got it?" Michael chuckled and nodded. "We'll see about that, my friend."

The minute Chase had walked in, the restaurant was in its usual rush on weekends. Yellow tail, California rolls, and the shrimp tempura filled the atmosphere and chatter was bustling around the room, but soon everything disappeared completely when he saw a beautiful light skinned girl with almond-shaped eyes, long raven black hair, and a small figure sitting at a center table, staring wistfully at a candle set in the middle of the set. Her simple yet elegant black dress fitted her frame perfectly and her pearly white teeth gleamed. Her lips curled into two separate dimples once she lifted her head and laid her eyes on him.

He walked slowly towards her, completely captivated by the lovely young woman. "Chase, right?" She finally stood up, and smiled at him, completely taking him by surprise again. Man, what women could do.

"I'm Lana Cheong. It's nice to meet you."

Chase was beyond intrigued by her. Besides the fact that she was breathtakingly beautiful, she also carried herself with grace and poise, always using manners, class, and politeness. It was also a relief to see a girl that would not make a sarcastic remark every 25 seconds. He felt like she could really connect to him as she listened to all his stories and giggled over some embarrassing aspects while traveling in England, the fact that both loved alternative rock and the Rolling Stones, and he found it so awesome she scuba dived in Australia and had actually met Bono in New York City. She was the epitome of the perfect girl to him, intelligent, kind, patient, and an open ear to listen. He had never met someone so powerfully connected to him on a deeper emotional level.

It made everything so much better, and being with her erased all his problems away.

"Oh." Lana glanced at her cell phone and stood up. "I can't believe we sat here for 3 hours," she giggled. She zipped up her purse and smiled at him again, as if she didn't melt his heart anymore.

"It was great spending time with you, Chase. I needed it."

"More me than you, Lana."

"I better go. I better catch some sleep for the Decathlon meet tomorrow." She tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear.

_Oh, and did he mention that she was brilliant too? _

"Let me walk you home," he said at once, taking out his hand.

"Thanks Chase. We should do this again sometime." Lana closed her eyes dreamily and a moment of silence passed between them.

"How about tomorrow night, a movie and pizza?"

"Sounds great."

He then gently took her wrist, rubbed her soft skin, and leaned in to kiss her. It was a kiss so quick, and so light, that it felt like it passed by in a nanosecond, but for both, they knew it was just the start of what could be something new.


	5. Chapter 5

"You know you really need to clean your room, Chase." Lana whacked him lightly onto the head with her hand and both chuckled.

There, they were sitting in the boys' dormitory studying for a Chemistry test, plus Lana had stopped by to help him research for a History paper.

"Thanks for stopping by," Chase replied as he set his book down, kissing her on the head, and putting his hands through her long, luscious, black hair. "I appreciate it."

"Anything for you," she whispered back putting her arms around him.

They sat there, content for a few moments, both enjoying the others' company until Chase's eyes had averted to a picture hidden behind his computer, a picture so sacred and important but so risky to acquire that he had to hide it from his own girlfriend now.

"Okay, we better get back to this," Lana groaned as she opened up her book again.

"Yeah," Chase said, his eyes still not leaving the picture.

"Here's to a great year of excitement, of memories, and of more ways to somehow trick Logan." Chase held up his glass of water at Sushi Rox with Lana, Michael, Logan, Quinn, Lola, and Mark del Figgolo. All were sitting down with platters of sushi that surrounded them.

Laughs erupted from the large table and Logan rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha." Lana grinned at the new set of people around her. Sure, she had nice friends and acquaintances but since moving from a small prep school in Connecticut to a huge campus on the West Coast, the adjustment was challenging, but just 2 months after meeting Chase, it felt like everything was finally falling into place, for her and for him.

"Chase, I need to use the restroom." Lana grabbed her purse and kissed him on the cheek. Chase turned and smiled at her, and rubbed her arm gently. "Thanks for being here today. The girls are hard to win over, but I think you've got them wrapped around your finger." "If they are your friends, then they are mine too." "You are one of us, now Lana." Lana's lips curled into a smile. "I like the sound of that."

"Hey babe, I'm going to go use the restroom." Zoey had pasted a smile for Todd all throughout dinner at Sushi Rox. They had to pick the same date as her friends, or at least some of her friends had. Life sucked.

"Go ahead," he said as he stuffed food into his mouth.

Zoey rolled her eyes at her immature boyfriend. Their relationship was silently going downhill, and they were growing apart each date. He was trying to keep the connection alive by visiting once a week, but it was hard, just being with him. He could get jealous when she was talking to another guy, be nosy and start logging into her emails all the time, and then eat off all her grapes from her fridge. The jerk just couldn't go away and she had traded her best friendship for it.

Zoey almost had tears going out of her eyes as she walked into the bathroom, but then saw a gorgeous girl applying lip gloss on. The girl was the female that had kissed Chase, cuddled with him, and both had been giving each other googly eyes all night. Zoey immediately hated her, for stealing the happiness of her best friend, when that was her job, and could already sense the tension when she walked right into the room.

Zoey fake smiled at her and set her make-up bag on the sink, intending to fix her teary eyeliner.

"Hey." Lana finally spoke as she turned towards Zoey. Zoey nodded at her, and then focused her attention back to her make-up. "I've heard all about you from Quinn, Lola, and Michael. It's lovely to meet you, I'm Lana. Lana Cheong."

"Zoey, but you obviously knew that."

"So how long have you known Chase? They told me you guys were best friends, but Chase is being stubborn and won't tell me much. Boys, they don't like talking about the positive aspects of girls much."

"Almost 4 years."

"Wow. He's such a great guy and I have only known him for 2 months."

"So, you two are officially dating?"

"Totally. I'm even having my parents visit so we could hang out. If this works out, maybe I can consider going to UCLA with him, that or maybe convince him to go to Brown with me. Either way, it could work well."

Zoey nodded with dismay, trying to hide her growing despair.

"But just so you know…." She turned to her. "Chase means a lot to me and since you were a huge part of his life, you know I'm open to any sort of hanging out. But we don't even have too. But I do know he cares about you, a lot."

_If he did, he would've told me about you. _

As Zoey stared at her chattering mouth, her beyond pretty face, and her huge excitement, she saw the girl that she had embodied herself to be once, once when times were simpler and she wasn't a loser's girlfriend, a liar and a promise breaker, and a heartbreaker, when she was simply the best friend of a boy who had loved her, but who she had not loved back, somehow through those years of friendship and the downhill rate that theirs was going in, the gaps were filled by the beautiful Lana Cheong, and in it, it looked like she would not be the girl best friend anymore, but instead the girl that was replaced.

She didn't wait for him and this was her price to pay.


	6. Chapter 6

Zoey had come home, exhausted by the time she arrived home. By the time she opened the door, her cell phone rang and she rolled her eyes at the name that popped up at the screen. "Hey, sweetie," she said in a syrupy sweet voice.

"WHY didn't you call me?"

"I just arrived home, Todd. Do I have to call you every hour of the day?"

"I never said that, it's just that I didn't hear you since this morning. Are you seeing another guy?"

"Todd, no. I'm not, we've been through this before, you need to trust me out here. I…."

Zoey almost choked at the words about to come out. It had only been a few months. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I love you."

Zoey shook her head; the words were cold and emotionless, nothing like she wanted them to be.

"All right."

"Zoey," he replied in a stern tone. "Do you love me?"

"Todd, please not now, not over the phone."

_This isn't how I wanted it to be. _

"Zoey, I need to know if you love me."

"Why does it matter? Why does it matter if we call each other every hour, every day, every second of the day? Why does it matter how many dates I have with you? Why does it matter if I have all of your emails? Why does it matter how many guy friends I have? Does it really measure how I feel about you, Todd? Does it? Because if it does, I'm not sure I am the person that you need to be with."

Tears fell from Zoey's face. She had been crying almost every day at the mess that she's become, the best friend she lost, the boyfriend that had transformed, the senior year that was meant to be great but turned out to be terrible, the life that she was leading.

"It matters because I want to be the guy that changes your life, Zoey Brooks. I want to be the guy to hold you when you're sad, to make you feel up when you are down, to make everything better for you, to give you everything you've ever wanted, I want to be the guy to love you and for you to love back. If I live a life with a girl I don't love, it'd be like living no life at all."

"Todd," she whimpered.

"I'm sorry," he whispered sadly back. "I'm sorry I've been nothing but a jerk to you, but I love you, I've loved you for a long time, when I saw you in your father's picture frame, the first time I met you. Please, Zoey, please."

The vulnerability in his voice, in his soul made her almost fall back and break down completely. "I can't."

She hung up the phone and put a hand through her mass of blonde waves. She could never forget his weaknesses, his insecurities, the things that had made him, him. Did she love him? Did she love the person he was and was becoming?

It seemed that no matter what, she always turned back to them in their times of need, their partial break-ups. Both could never let go of the other.

She knew the only way to be healthy was to let go of the loose thread and live her life again, reconcile with Chase and enjoy her senior year, but she had always loved people too much, she had always given people that, she was an extremely vulnerable person as well and she had always been the person that wanted to make the other to be better, it was what made her _Zoey. _

But Todd didn't know her, he didn't know her favorite color, that she wept everytime she watched _The O.C._, when Marissa died, that she wanted to be a fashion designer, he only depended on her to take out his stress, to have someone to turn too because he had no one else, like her, he was also afraid of being alone, and Zoey didn't want that kind of consolation from anyone, and he didn't know that, he didn't know anything.

But somehow despite everything that they had been through, she had still called him and told him, she loved him.

And after that, she cried, just like every other day of her wreck of a life now.

Zoey had appeared at his door. Zoey had appeared because after 3 months of not talking, not making eye contact, and avoiding each other entirely, she missed him. She missed him even more than their semester apart and she hated that she had messed it all up just to get together with Todd.

She hated the name, hated the name of the boy she was supposed to love, the boy who her father was ecstatic about.

But nevertheless, despite the circumstances, she ended up back at his door, because she knew the rest of her life would always lead back to him.

She knocked on the door, hoping to make a peace offering with a batch of chocolate cupcakes, until there was no reply. Annoyed, she opened the door, barging in, until she saw Lana and Chase kissing.

_Not this again. _

Zoey rolled her eyes and sighed at the memory of Chase's first evil girlfriend who had sabotaged their lives and tried to erase their friendship altogether, but this was different since they were no longer friends and Lana was too likeable so far.

"Chase," she said in an annoyed tone.

Both stopped, and both had blushed cheeks when they saw Zoey standing there, embarrassed as well.

Lana bit her lip, finally taking the notion of saying something.

"Zoey, it's nice to see you again, though I wish under less awkward circumstances.

"And likewise, Lana. Sorry about that. Bad habit."

Lana put her hands up. "No big deal."

"I'm sorry, but can I just talk to Chase, for a second? I promise, only a few minutes."

Lana smiled at her reassuringly.

"I was about to leave anyway." She reached down for her pastel yellow book bag and kissed Chase on the cheek.

"I'll see you later, boyfriend."

"I'll call you!"

She smiled again and left, closing the door.

Chase crossed his arms and stood up.

"Zoey. What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, but we need to talk about this, Chase. We can't avoid each other forever."

"You should have thought about that before."

Chase stood up, about to leave the door, until Zoey abruptly stopped him.

"Chase! Please, can we just forget about everything and go back to the way everything was before. I love you, I do, but our relationship is purely innocent. Do you really want to risk our great connection for a relationship? Friendship is even better, because you can always guarantee the person is there through everything else. Chase, please. Hear me out."

Chase stood at the door, silent and frozen until turning back.

"I miss you," he said, his voice hoarse.

"I do too," Zoey said sincerely, her eyes filled with hope.

"I have forever."

"You're right. We've moved on. You are with Todd and I'm with Lana. It's time to let go of hard feelings."

Zoey ran to him and hugged him, tight with everything she had, the strength and support to hold him after three months and a semester apart.

"Thank you."


	7. Chapter 7

Zoey hung up the phone, in a huff. Her eyes were watery, and her face was red. Even though she had reconciled with Chase, her relationship with Todd had still made her life miserable. Friendship was saved, but relationship wise, everything was falling apart and it was holding her back from other things.

Todd never let go, no matter how many times she attempted to break up with him when he visited her, and he was so jealous of Chase, even though both had never met. But so far, Todd wasn't the only thing that made Zoey upset, as of now.

Everything with Chase was fine, not how it used to be because of Lana, and her effect on him, but fine.

Years ago, she had been the girl to make him that happy, but it all changed within the "perfect Lana."

Lana Cheong was the polar opposite of Zoey. She believed in the best of people, and had so much faith in other people, while Zoey more believed in conventional ideas and that people let you down, mainly to the influence of Todd.

Lana was also patient while Zoey was demanding. Lana was perfect for Chase because Chase needed someone to ground him during hard times, and she controlled him and grounded him in his periods of needs.

But otherwise, the differences between her and Lana were small but made up for a big picture. Lana was absolutely brilliant in everything with school, with a 5.0 GPA from all AP classes, impressive honors and transcripts from her former boarding school and a penchant for math and science, she challenged Quinn for every chemical equation out there possible.

Zoey, meanwhile, was smart but her smarts ranged more towards the arts while her chemistry skills were horrid.

She complained so much that Lana had offered to tutor.

Zoey really wanted to hate her, but couldn't bring herself too.

Both of their looks were completely different, both girls were beautiful in ways, but Lana's beauty was angelic with shiny raven hair that ended at the small of her back, snow white skin, and expressive, almond-shaped eyes. Both her parents were Asian and she had inherited all the great genetics from her family, the smarts, the beauty, everything.

Zoey meanwhile, had a more All-American look to her. A southern belle, she was the opposite of appearance with Lana.

Lana's fashion sense was soft, innocent, and pure. She loved wearing mild sundresses, light pink tank tops, and flip flops with smaller heels while Zoey was more hip and trendy.

Lana was overall, sweeter in personality. Outgoing but still reserved, she had sensitivity towards other people that Zoey could not comprehend.

Lana was an angel to the world, and Zoey was just the ordinary best friend of a boy that the angel loved.

Lana also didn't have a horrible boyfriend whose moods switched on and off, her boyfriend was kind, patient, cute, funny, and overall perfect.

Once Todd had been that too.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she opened it quietly, revealing Chase. "Hey," he said.

He reached out to hug her.

"What's wrong?" He asked, wiping tears away from her eyes.

"I'm a mess. Todd was being a jerk."

"Again?"

"Chase, don't."

"Zoey, this isn't you."

"Chase, you don't understand. Your girlfriend is wonderfully perfect, you are perfect for her, and you accompany each other. You guys are in the beginning stages of a relationship while Todd and I are just getting out of that stage and facing life together, with problems as a couple. It's normal."

"It's not normal if every day you get off the phone crying, and changing into a miserable person. A relationship may have problems, but it's not supposed to make you unhappy. It's better to get out."

"I love him. I love him. I love him," she reassured herself.

"You are just holding onto him because you are afraid of what will happen to him if you let go. I know you Zoey, you don't want to let go, you are afraid of hurting someone, and you hate being alone."

"I used to be independent."

"You changed. We all did."

"I love him. I wanted to be the one who changed him."

"You can't do that, Zoey. You can't change a person unless they want too."

"Exactly, I wanted to be the girl that wanted to be the one to inspire him to change. But I tried, right?"

A few hours later, Zoey picked up the phone, to call him again.

"Todd? I need to tell you something important."


	8. Chapter 8

**Wait for You Chapter 9**

Chase stood outside his doorway, hoping for a night off. The stress and toll of his senior year was beginning to hit and affect him hard, as not only did he have to get accepted into a top-tied school but also try to win a scholarship due to his parents' desires. He was literally pulling all-nighters, struggling to deliver what was expected of him.

Now he was just hoping for a good nights' rest, from work, school, and the latest Zoey-Todd drama that had gotten him and his life into craziness, unnecessary craziness.

The door was opened and Lana's face broke out into a smile. There, she wore a PCA sweatshirt, her hair in a messy ponytail with Victoria's Secret PINK sweatpants and bunny slippers. In her hand, were a highlighter and a heavy novel.

"Lana, hey. I didn't expect you here."

"Remember our study date tonight? Michael let me in."

"Right." Chase put a hand through his bushy hair and stepped inside, closing the door to peck her on the lips.

"How are you?" 

"Tired. Plus, my parents just called me to check up on me. They're coming and they want us to meet with them at some fancy restaurant in Malibu. I couldn't shut up about you, so they wanted to meet you."

"That's fine, I'll just bring my gentle charm and charisma."

"The only thing my dad cares about is your transcripts and resume. He has incredible high standards, over-analytical and critical, he's going to ask you how many AP classes you'll take, what college you'll go to, your SAT scores, it's ridiculous."

"Lana, it will be okay. It's just for 1 night, right?"

Lana nodded, her face insincere.

"What's wrong?"

"I just don't want senior year to end with you. I wish it'd be simple enough that I could go to college with you."

"Maybe you can."

He took out a brochure from his coat pocket and handed it to her.

"You were talking about going to Brown, right?"

Lana nodded, flipping slightly through the brochure. "It's a possibility."

"Well, maybe I can join you."

"You want to get into Brown?"

"University of Rhode Island. We'll at least be in the same state, me in Kingston, you in Providence."

"You shouldn't do that for me."

"Why not? I've lived in California all my life, and maybe I want to move upstate. Besides, my parents are happy, turns out we have relatives there." 

"Chase…."

"Lana, I'm serious. This is what I want."

He put her hands in his. "Most of my life when I liked girls, I had never quite been a stud. And I never found that girl who accepted me for who I am. But it seemed to all become better, when Michael met you and set us up, and I not only met the most amazing girl in my life, but I met one who accepted the quirky, wacky Chase, and not some fictional dude who excels at everything, and the thing is, you can have any guy you want, and yet you still chose me."

Lana looked down, tears almost glistening in her eyes. "I love you."

Chase's eyes softened, and he took her in his arms. "I love you, too."

It was then, at that right very moment, when Zoey had appeared right outside his door, just as she was about to tell him how she really felt about him.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been 1 long month of sorrow later, after the fateful night when she had stepped outside Chase's dorm

It had been 1 long month of sorrow later, after the fateful night when she had stepped outside Chase's dorm. It had been a month where she carried and pasted on a smile, trying to erase those impulsive emotions that she was about to declare to Chase.

After breaking up with Todd, after a long, and emotional conversation, Todd had finally agreed to let go, "for a while," and let Zoey do her thing this year. It had then led Zoey to run into Chase's arms and hopefully, finally confess that Chase couldn't replace the void in her heart, since he left, that ever since Todd had entered her life, Chase had been the only one running through her mind now, she wanted him back more as a friend, she needed him, she should have realized that at the beginning of summer.

So, she had ran, she had ran fast, ready to finally give it her all, until Lana had stood there, looking beautiful as ever, proclaiming that she loved him, and him, inevitably, saying it back.

She had run back home, crying again, in her sleep, and the next month, she had not taken a step further.

She opened her diary, to finally let it out.

_I wanted him, I wanted him more so than I ever thought I could want a boy in my entire life. More so than Todd, more so than that fling with James before, more so than that anyone else. But I was stupid enough to jump into a relationship and sacrificing anything that could have been with Chase, and I can't help but wonder that if tonight, I could be in Lana's shoes, being the girl of his dreams, the one who he would sacrifice his dreams for, because I would be the one that would represent everything he ever wanted, what he is for me. _

_I have never been a type of person who was in love with love. I have always been practical and cautious but now, all I want is impulse, the impulse to tell Chase to not go to Rhode Island with Lana, to not marry her after their graduation and have 3 kids and a picket fence, with a huge house, to not live that life with her, when it is me that he loved, me that he loved far longer than he ever did with Lana, but let's face it, I don't have the impulse to say all that, because I'm not what he wants anymore, instead, I'm just a past crush, a best friend, a bud, that is expected to stand by his side, to watch his dreams come true as he holds the love of his life. He waited for me, but I didn't wait for him. That's how much I caused what was meant to be, to change into something entirely different. _

_And in 10 years, 20 years from now, I see myself miserable, getting into the college of my dreams, designing, but still unhappy, because I had made a horrible mistake that I'll still be paying for. _

_I wish he loved me. . I wish I could be his girlfriend, I wish I could be the one he wanted, and most of all, I wish that I would have changed things far longer ago and fixed them, but we both know, that is far overdue. _


	10. Chapter 10

Hey readers

**Hey readers! **

**To make the story move faster, so things won't drag on, I'm fast-forwarding 3 months later…. **

**Also, since I know I am a horrible person for not updating sooner, I will update 1 more to make up for it for today. **

_3 months later_

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A long, piercing scream screeched throughout the entire campus and Lola jumped up and down, ecstatically. She had then ran towards the girls' lounge seeing Lana, Zoey, and Quinn gathered together.

"I got in."

Zoey looked up, a pencil in her mouth after sketching. "You got in, where?"

"Julliard. I got into Julliard. I'm going to Julliard. I'm a student at Julliard. I'm attending Julliard!"

Lana's eyes bulged out and she smiled, hugging Lola.

"Lola, that's incredible. I am beyond happy for you."

Lola hugged back, screeching loudly, hurting Lana's eardrums.

"Thanks."

Zoey and Quinn both ran to congratulate Lola. "I cannot wait until you win your Academy Award," Zoey whispered into her ear.

Lola smiled, releasing herself from their grip.

"Did you guys get your feedback yet?"

All shook their heads.

"Where did you even, apply to Lana?"

Lana shrugged.

"My dream school is definitely Brown, but because of my dad, I applied to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and Princeton too. My safety schools are NYU, Middlebury, and USC though."

Zoey rolled her eyes. All Ivy Leagues, almost.

Quinn nodded. "MIT, obviously. But I also applied to Yale, because it's my grandfather's alma mater."

"Fashion Institute of Technology for fashion design, NYU, and to be closer to my parents, Oxford. I might want to study abroad at the Sorbonne too."

"Already talking about our futures?"

Logan entered the lounge and kissed Quinn's cheek. "Can't we just continue being slackers?"

Ever since they had impulsively kissed, Logan and Quinn had dated, surprising everyone at PCA, since they had hated each other, and all thought she would marry Mark since she was almost obsessed with him. But they had proven everyone wrong and had gone strong, ever since.

"Who cares about school, anyway?"

"Why did you apply then?"

"My dad made me go. He said: "I didn't pay that much tuition for you to slack off on your future. Besides, I need somewhere to go if I don't get recruited by scouts or get discovered by an agent."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I'm dating you."

"I'm getting hysterical here, you guys."

Lana's eyes almost began to water. "It's almost over. Just 1 month and we're gone. I wish I spent more than 1 year here."

"Are you okay?" Chase entered, his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. In fact, I better get my mail to see if I got a letter from somewhere yet."

"Wait."

Chase held up his letter from the University of Rhode Island. "I got mine. I wanted to share it with you."

Lana's eyes went wide with delight and excitement, and she grabbed the letter from him, opening it quickly.

Zoey watched eagerly, trying hard not to run up and tear the letter to pieces.

Lana's face broke into a wide, gorgeous smile and she jumped into his arms. "You got accepted, baby. Congrats!"

Chase smiled with relief and hugged her back. "You got me worried, there, Lana."

Lana released herself and kissed him on the cheek.

"You deserve it. You've accomplished so much and I am so proud of you."

Michael appeared, tears almost out of his eyes.

"Chase, man, I don't know what to do with you all the way in Rhode Island, man."

Both hugged.

Zoey's face turned red and she decided to get out of this trap. "I better go. Congrats Chase." She hugged Chase quickly, with barely any emotion and left the room in a hurry.

"What's wrong with her?" Logan asked, carelessly.

"Logan. Show some sensitivity, for once," Quinn scolded.

Chase had come to greet Zoey, a peace offering in his hands, of grapes and chocolate chip cookies, her favorite snacks. He knocked slowly on the door, ready to finally know what was up, until Zoey had angrily opened the door, her expression sour.

"Chase, not now."

"Zoey, come on, it's been 2 days. What's wrong?"

Zoey opened the door wider, and shrugged her shoulders. "I just can't believe that you are giving up everything you've ever worked for, to attend college with your perfect little girlfriend."

Chase rolled his eyes. "What, is this one of your mood swings or jokes, Zoey? Because frankly, I'm tired of you always moaning and groaning about everything, nowadays, Zoey. All year, I've tried to be flexible with you."

Zoey opened her mouth in indignation. "Get out. You entered my door, now get out."

"We need to get this resolved, Zoey. Tell me, I'm your best friend. I love you and I care about you.

_Not the way you are supposed too. _

"Chase, don't go to Rhode Island," she blurted out.

Chase's expression turned shocked. "What?"

"You can't go with her, Chase. You can't. She won't give you your dreams, she'll steal them away, you don't love her, I know you, and you don't."

"Zoey, stop it. You have no right to tell me how I feel about someone and what I do with my life. Just quit it, this is so typical of you, controlling and nosy, and trying to solve my problems when I don't need you. I love Lana, that's the deal."

"Not in the way that you had loved me, Chase. Not in that way."

"Zoey," he warned .

"No."

Zoey stepped closer to him.

"I've watched you as you've gotten closer to her all year, Chase. I get it, you are scared, and so am I, but I want this just as much as you have for the past years at PCA, Chase. I've always wanted it, I promise. I just went to Todd because I was alone and scared of what would happen when you came back. Chase, I care about you, I want you, more as a friend, more as a bud, please, please."

Zoey grabbed his hands. "I lo-"

Chase snatched his hands away.

"You had your chance, Zoey. Lana's the one I want now."

"No she's not, Chase."

"Look me in the eye. Please, please."

"Tell me that you love her more than you had ever loved me."

Chase turned to stare at her, right in the eye. "Zoey, I love Lana more than I will ever love you."

He turned coldly and opened and slammed the door, hard.

**I will love you forever if you review! **

**Don't worry, I will try to update soon, because the next few chapters are truly major one in the story. So keep a look out! **


	11. Chapter 11

Hey, guys

**Hey, guys! I'm back, but I don't know when I can make my next update. So I decided I'll update again today. Anyways, I had a new one-shot on Enchanted. And you guys should check it out if you like the movie! I had fun writing it….. **

Zoey stared back at the fateful acceptance letters. A pile of them sat in front of her on her couch, all universities from New York, California, even England. But she couldn't dare open them back; she twiddled nervously with her thumbs and paced around the room, afraid of what the outcome to what the rest of her future would be like.

"Hey, Zoey." Quinn appeared near the side of the door, her camouflage bag in hand and a bottle of water.

"Quinn, I can't do this!" Zoey sighed, exasperated. "They arrived today, and I can't take the tension anymore. Quinn, open them!"

She pushed Quinn towards the couch, pushing her to tear open the NYU packet. Quinn tore the letter piece by piece, until Zoey nudged her to move faster.

"All right, Zoey. It's fine, there are how many universities out there and you want to just get into this one? You don't have to freak out about not taking one certain path."

"Whatever, Quinn. Just open them!"

Quinn tore the piece of paper out, and her eyes scanned it, and she looked towards Zoey sadly, sympathy flooding her eyes.

"I'm sorry Zoey."

"WHAT!"

Zoey snatched the letter out, her eyes scanning where her broken future lay. "Quinn, you jerk!" She nudged her hard. "You totally got me there."

Quinn bursted into laughter and hugged her good friend and roommate. "Congrats the future Donna Karan. You got into the Fashion Institute of Technology."

"I got in. I'm going to be a fashion designer!" Zoey jumped up and down, giggling. "I can't believe I finally did it. My dream, ever since I was a little girl, ever since I had first picked up a sketchbook. Quinn, I got accepted into my dreams."

"Even if FIT rejected you, you still could've done it, Zoey. You have all the assets for it and you don't need some fancy school to prove it."

"But it is nice to have one!" Zoey threw all the rest of the acceptance letters into the air and danced around their dorm room.

Chase had appeared near the side of the door, suddenly, scaring both girls. "Chase, what are you doing here?" Zoey interrogated, her hands on her hips, her old personality shining through. "I thought we weren't "on speaking terms."

"Yeah, about that…. Quinn, can I talk to her alone?"

Quinn nodded, grabbing her bag and heading off.

"I wanted to apologize for my outburst and my words. I should have watched what I would be saying and how that would affect you."

"I guess it's my fault too, for telling you now and ruining your happiness, and forcing you. I provoked you to say those things. And besides, just because you found your true love, doesn't give me the right to ruin it."

"Zoey, I need you to know, I love you. I do, just not in the way I used too. We need to face it, its over."

"Maybe it's not just us, Chase. Maybe its just a sign telling us we're not meant to be together in that way, let's face it, the timing was never right for us to begin with, if we tried dating, we weren't even in the same place, plus, it seems as though someone tries to stop us when we get a step further to where we want to be. Maybe…its just time to let go."

"Officially?"

"There's no other way. And I got accepted into FIT. I'm moving on too, I was just infatuated with you or something because of Todd. But I'm over it. You'll be in Rhode Island with Lana and I'll be in New York with Lola, probably."

"Zoey, I love you."

"Me too, I wish that it could've been the other way."

She grabbed his hand, and kissed his cheek softly. "Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if we lived in another world," she whispered.

She then walked towards the door, taking one glance back and then opening it.

As Zoey walked out, and closed the door behind her, she closed her eyes and whispered softly: _I'd still wait for you wherever we go, one day, Chase Matthews. _

**Don't kill me yet! Don't worry there's way more to come, and guys, I know I keep saying this, but seriously NEXT chapter is HUGE, and it centers around an important relationship in the story. Please look out, and I probably will make an update this week if I can, so you guys won't wait long. **


	12. Chapter 12

I decided to update now…

**I decided to update now….because I know all of you guys just LOVE my story. Okay, just kidding. Anyway, here it is: **

Lana Cheong had loved him from the day she met him. She was in love with the way he stuttered, his bushy hair, how he nervously stumbled whenever he had to do something he completely hated, how he had no rhythm and no sense of romance, but still managed to take away all of her senses and make her completely head over heels. She was in love with the way that he released all her pressure, how he said: "I love you" without any hesitation, the way his handwriting curved, how their hands had fit together, she had thought, when really, his big hand sweated too much over her tiny one.

But she had never realized their relationship would be based on infatuation, not love, for how could he be in love with Lana Cheong when he would always be in love with another girl named Zoey Brooks?

Unless a man could be in love with two people, but this wasn't some ordinary soap opera with the ordinary love triangles….

Lana stood inside his dorm room, contemplating what would happen once he entered through that door.

Ever since September, for 7 months, she had committed to him, how was she going to tell him?

He had given up his dreams for her…..

Chase entered through, his dreary face turning surprised when he saw her petite figure standing there, her beautiful face in tears and in her hand, the framed picture of Zoey behind his desk. "Lana, what happened? What's wrong?"

He walked to face her and look her in her beautiful almond-shaped eyes when she turned away, her hand covering her tear-stained face.

"Chase, I don't know what to do. Because ever since I jumped into this relationship with you, everything traces back to Zoey Brooks."

She turned back to face him, her eyes ablaze, her expression changing, and she angrily put the picture back on the desk, face down.

"I committed to you, 24/7, you were the first guy I ever said "I love you" too, I had attended orientation conferences for UCLA and USC, I let you meet my parents, I gave you everything and trusted you after another guy broke my heart, I ignored everything that connected with Zoey, I ignored all conversations about her, I even greeted her to remain civil to her, even watched you run off to her nearly every single date after another fight with her boyfriend, I did everything I could to understand Chase, and I think I acted as much as a perfect girlfriend as I needed to be while you acted like a "perfect" boyfriend, when really it was all a lie because you forgot to tell me you were in love with another girl!"

She broke down, and hid her face from his once more, her strands of hair covering her red face.

"Lana, no! I'm not in love with her….I'm in love with you. I always have been, I always will be. Why are you so self-conscious of her?"

"Explain that picture over there; convince me that these are just hallucinations. Chase, please!"

"I had that picture because it had remained there even before I left PCA. I just forgot to remove it from there. It's not like I pay attention to it every single living moment."

"Don't fool me, Chase. I see you eyes wander toward it, I even saw the hidden pictures of you and her on the beach on her computer."

"You looked through my files, Lana?"

"No, it was because I wanted to check my email, you gave me permission too, and after you left, I saw them, they were all in front of everything. You tried to hide them from me, didn't you?"

"No, I just wanted to email them to someone."

"Then why wasn't your email account open? And who would you email it too, all your friends have them, would it be Lola, because why would she want pictures from years ago at your first year?"

"What's wrong with looking at old stuff?"

"The fact that you have a whole hidden folder filled with them of you and Zoey alone, as well, Chase. And you don't even have one of us."

"Zoey's been my friend for years, Lana."

"And I've been your girlfriend so far this year, Chase!"

"Do you really think I'm that oblivious, also, that I don't notice how you always need to run to her, how you always blush when your friends talk about you guys all the time, how you always wipe away her tears when she cries, that, and plus, you have a whole box of memorabilia filled with that, and you know what? You forgot to tell me you transferred to a boarding school in England just to be with her!"

"Lana, I'm sorry."

"It's okay you are friends with her, Chase. It's okay, I understand that, but it's the fact you never tell these things, that, and it feels like you are committed to her more."

"Lana, I transferred schools just to be with you!"

"I know you did. And I'm grateful for that, I always will be. But you also went for a scholarship, Chase. You went for your relatives, you went not just for me, but for a whole bunch of side reasons, and yet, with Zoey, you went to England just to be with her."

"Stop comparing yourself to her, Lana."

"Well, I have too Chase. I have too because let's say we go to Rhode Island together, you and I live a perfect life, have happily ever after, and have how many kids with a picket fence, and all that junk, and then you have a whole closet filled with stuff from Zoey, hidden letters, phone numbers, and she's always calling our house, trying to schedule times with you, Chase, if I stay with you, it means Zoey will always be connected with us, because you want her to be, you want her more than you would ever want me."

"Of course, Zoey will always be in my life. She's my best friend, but you are the one I want. I promise, I chose Rhode Island for you not because of a scholarship and family, but for you."

"You chose me because I'm your security blanket. I'm second best compared to Zoey Brooks. I always will be. After Zoey broke your heart to get with Todd, you went to me because it was most convenient. I was the girl that would never break your heart, would stand by you and love you forever, and would stay with you even if Zoey broke it again. I'm second best to Zoey, every girl will be, Chase."

"And besides, how can you go for me when you love another girl?"

"Lana, for the 1500th time, I do not love Zoey!"

"Yes you do, I heard you say it when I was walking back to my room. Close the door next time you have a private conversation."

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"I was walking back and I saw you there with her. And I walked by the time you said "I love you Zoey" to her. How can you go attend college with me when you love another girl? How can you love me when your heart is with, Zoey?"

"I meant it in a totally platonic way."

"No you didn't, Chase. You can't love Zoey the way you said it and love me simultaneously."

"This was meant to be." Lana put her hand over his and rubbed it quietly.

"What about our plans?"

"I got my letters back. I got accepted to Brown, but I'm not taking it. I'm attending the Sorbonne in the fall."

"Paris? But what about Brown? It's what you've always dreamed of."

"No, its what my father has always dreamed of. I need to find my own now. We're growing up, Chase, and you need to face who you want to be someday, and what your future is."

Lana removed her hands from his and kissed him softly on the lips. "And it doesn't include me, anymore."

"Lana!"

Lana stopped at the door, and turned around. "Yeah?"

"Even though it doesn't matter anymore, you changed my life for the better, and helped me out when things were falling down. Thank you."

Lana shrugged. "And you helped find where I really belong. Goodbye Chase."

And there, Lana opened the door, finally, leaving his life for good.

**This chapter is one of the most intense, because it is the leaving of a major character in the story. I intended for Lana to be in the story, to rediscover what Chase thought of himself, she was the mentor that helped him find where he would truly belong. Lana was never meant to be with Chase, I think we all knew that. **

**  
I loved this chapter because it got a deeper look inside what Lana was thinking, that she is not the typical Little-Miss-Perfect in society, she is actually insecure, self-conscious, and pressured by her dad, and in the story, it hints that her dad pressures her to be the person she is, and in this, by being with Chase, she finally decided to let go and finally be the person she wanted to be. What Lana did with Chase, Chase did with Lana, as well. **

**The message of this story was to be the person you want to be, its like a tale of growing up. **

**Don't worry, Chase and Zoey will find their way, soon! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Here I am! I am super sorry about not updating, days and weeks pass by fast. Anyways, I now am so excited that finally this is the chapter you have been waiting for! This is the big, HUGE one... anyways, just a few more and then we're done, with an epilogue, as well...**

**Thank you so much for reading! It is such an honor to me that people take the time to look over my writing and leave reviews... **

It had been 2 weeks...

It had been 2 weeks. 2 weeks since their breakup and everyone's futures were suddenly written up on paper when acceptance letters were mailed. Their lives were drastically changing right before the orbs of his eyes.

How could anything define the broken heart? He was trying to understand this as he sat down at night, in front of the full moon, looking out at the fountain and its pouring water. The rain had always seemed to calm him down, he prayed for rain, on this dreary night, to wash away his mistakes, his past life, he couldn't wait for the reinvention of college, he could finally escape from the drama of senior year, his past relationship with the girl that he wasn't sure he wanted to let go of just yet.

Was he in love with Lana? For the past 7 months, he wondered that, or was he just in love with the idea of Lana? The perfect, beautiful girlfriend that embodied what every guy would want…. He was in love with the fact that he thought she would always stay near his side and never betray him like Zoey had once did for him, but just because someone broke your heart doesn't mean it is truly the end of something, he could never call it off with Zoey, how could he? He had fallen harder for her more than he ever did with anyone else, no matter how perfect Lana may be…

He knew he could find many other girls than Zoey. There was a whole world out there filled with new options, but the one that would not change would be Zoey….

He wished he never yelled at her, he wished he ended things with Lana earlier, so he wouldn't have to transfer out of the University of Rhode Island and have to convince his father to switch back to UCLA, because Lana truly was one of the only reasons why he would go there, she was wrong about that…

But she didn't deserve the fact that he would never love her as much as she deserves…so now he was stuck in the middle, his original position where he had started…

Zoey had given up on him after a brief "infatuation" with him, and he was scared that timing truly would never be accurate with them, he liked her when she didn't, she liked him when he had a girlfriend, when they had finally considered dating, they were in two separate places, and waiting for the other seemed like an impossible task while for other lovers, it seemed like the easiest compared to other obstacles…it seemed like waiting for another individual would be too long, too unbearable for their already-fragile age…

But Chase knew that somewhere deep in his heart, despite how much they had gone through in their PCA careers, he would always wait for the other side for her to come around, because he loved her, and he knew she loved him… She just needed to see that…

With that, he raced off to her dorm room to finally tell what was fate in the making ever since their first meeting

He raced through wandering stares, averted eyes, Michael's glare, Logan and Quinn's hand-holding; he raced through it all to reach the home where he belonged, the home he found in the girl that had accepted him…

He ran so fast, so hard, he was puffy and sweating by the time he reached where he was supposed to be. He knocked on the door, and there, Zoey stood, with regular jeans and a T-shirt, and her hair in a messy bun. "Chase, hey. What are you doing here?"

He ignored everything else she had to say, and kissed her hard on the lips, making her almost tumble backwards. She maintained balance and put a hand through his hair, breathing a sigh of relief and let go.

Silence followed. "Wow," she finally breathed out.

"Zoey, I love you. Not in a cheesy friendship way and not in that weird state we say it in. I love you, I have since the moment I laid my eyes on you, and in honesty, I know the timing has never been right for us, and I know that we've never been at the right place, but I can't change the way I feel, because there's this deep feeling inside of me that tells me that we're meant to be, and Lana and I broke up and.."

"Wait, you and Lana broke up?"

"She knew, she knew me inside and out, knew that she could never replace the place that I hold for you. I promised I'd wait for you, and I did, and I want us now…I don't care how much longer I would have had to wait for you, but I still do, I still need you in order for me to carry on. I don't want to go to Rhode Island, I'm not going to Rhode Island, I'll transfer or something to New York, I'll manage a long-distance relationship with you, I'll do whatever…"

Zoey put a hand over his mouth, laughed, and kissed him softly back. "Chase, stop it. Stop rambling for once. I love you too, and not in that cheesy romantic way, but in a way that I will always love you. And despite our timing, we'll fix it, just as sure as I am that I promise that I will now wait for you, for forever."

And finally, for the first time in that whole year, it seemed as if the pieces of the puzzle, the mess that was scattered now found its way back to each other, through two teenage soul mates…

**Finally! I know, this is what you have been waiting for...**

**Anyways, I'll try to update soon...**

**You know what also cheers me up? REVIEWS!**


	14. Chapter 14

Hey guys

**Hey guys! I am on giddy mode today! Did you see **_**Chasing Zoey? **_**Chase and Zoey finally got together! However, just pretend that this story is AU, nothing has ended just quite yet, but don't worry there will always be more Choey! **

**One of my new favorite couples is Quogan! I love them together, it's so opposites, it's funny! **

**This chapter is more of a filler, but watch out for the next chapter. I might just even post it later today because who knows if I have enough time to do it later since I have it written…. **

**Enjoy!**

"Chase! Quit it! Stop! Please! No….Chase!"

Chase had tickled Zoey endlessly, leaving both breathless as he finally let go of her.

Zoey rolled her eyes as she stood to catch her breath. She then sat back down, and retreated back to watching TV.

Few moments of blissful silence followed until Chase put a hand through Zoey's blond hair and leaned in closer to her.

"So what are we going to do about us?" She finally admitted… her eyes wide and scared, and her hands fiddling with the other.

Chase turned his face towards hers, confusion and wonder clouding his brown orbs.

"Are you still attending UCLA?" she asked, ignoring his shrugs.

"I can't apply to NYU or anything near for a while, at least a semester or so."

"Oh goodness," Zoey said sadly, and put a hand through her blond hair.

"This time is going to be different though…."

He entangled their fingers together and kissed it.

"We know what we want this time around and besides, I think I can manage to squeeze in visits here and there. It'll only be a semester before I can transfer to somewhere in New York, anyway."

"So we're really going to do this?" Zoey asked.

"This whole year, I've been driven crazy by not being with you. We need to do this."

Zoey nodded and leaned in towards him until their friends' obnoxious, protesting yells stopped them…

"Hey, save it for later, guys. It's only 1 more week until graduation and we need to savor each moment of our friendship," Lola dramatically said.

"I cannot believe its time," Michael grumbled.

All looked down in sorrow and sadness, of their impending futures, the vast world that would now exist…..they would finally cross the bridge from PCA and childhood over to the endless possibilities of being an adult.

What would become of their futures? Would they stay friends?

All, even Logan, thought of this as they sat down and contemplated.

"So where are you guys, going, anyways?"

Zoey switched the subject, trying to change her sad thoughts.

"I'm going to USC," Logan smirked, wrapping an arm around Quinn's.

"Quinn?"

"MIT."

"Wait, what?"

Logan switched gears and angrily shook his head. "We agreed Cal Polytech, Quinn."

"Wait, you guys haven't talked about this?"

"Quinn, how am I supposed to get homework help and Eskimo kisses without you in the same state as me?"

"I never wanted to go to Cal Polytech, Logan. MIT is my dream school. How else am I going to be a Nobel Chemistry Prize winner and be renowned in all fields of science?"

"How about Stanford?"

"Logan, don't push it."

Zoey ignored their argument and pushed towards Michael.

"What about you, Michael?"

"UCLA. Though too bad Chase is only staying now for a semester. Man, how many schools can one transfer too until they are satisfied?"

Chase shook his head. "This one's for good, Michael."

"Well, Zoey and I are going to take New York City by storm. Just imagine it, Zo, shopping at Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney's, and Bergdorf Goodman's. Greenwich Village, Soho, Madison Square Garden..."

Lola reached up and put a hand to her forehead, dramatically….

"I'll be the talk of the town on Broadway…."

Zoey laughed at Lola's excitement. "What I am excited for is to possibly get an internship at Chanel or Marc Jacobs. I talked with my mom about connections."

She turned towards Chase. "My mom works as a buyer for major fashion corporations. I think she could possibly help me make my start through the industry."

"I hope you get what you want, Zoey."

Logan rolled his eyes as Quinn stood up angrily, and walked out the door. "Losers….actually caring about the future…."

"Shut up, Logan!" Lola sat down and frowned. "You are so lucky you are dating Quinn. Sometimes, I wonder why she chose you. Where will you be in 20 years, still living off your daddy's money?"

"Watch it, Lola!"

"Whatever, hey Michael, let's get out of here."

Both followed Quinn out leaving just Chase, Zoey, and Logan.

"Hey Zo, I got to go." He kissed her cheek and waved towards his roommate. "See you."

He was one of the last to go, leaving just the two of them awkwardly.

"Don't you think its time to grow up, Logan? We have 1 more week and then its off from the safe world of PCA to the big, vast one where you can't slack off in order to survive. You actually need hard work, dedication, and it wouldn't be hard being nice to people, that, including your amazing girlfriend."

Logan nodded, putting a hand through his curls.

"I know, I just….I do it because I'm scared. You guys have all these plans, my girlfriend's brilliant and will be on the cover of _Time _one day, and I'll just be stuck still living off my dad."

"You can do whatever you want to do, Logan. You just need to quit depending on him for once."

"Yeah, I know. And I know I should apologize to Quinn. I have no right to diss her dreams like that, it's just I don't want to lose her. It's hard to say, but I love her. I love her, she's the first, and….I doesn't want to lose her when she sees bigger and better things than me."

"Quinn knows where she comes from and unbelievably, she cares about you too just as much as you do."

"I better go apologize. See you."

He turned around and stared back at her. "And thanks, Zoey. Plus, don't worry; you and Chase will be just fine."

He walked out, leaving just Zoey and her thoughts.

_I hope so…. _

**Please, please, please, please, review! I really want to hear from you readers! I'll love you for the rest of time if you do!**


	15. Chapter 15

Prom Night

Prom Night. One of the most eventful, significant nights of high school life, one where most had been dreaming about once they stepped on campus in freshman year that first day. The one which Zoey imagined attending to with Todd, looking handsome on her arm and she in her fairytale dress with him attached to her, and all night, they would glide on the floor together, swaying to the background music as if no one would be watching them…

Except now things had changed…..she still imagined everything the same, only the guy next to her was much less high-maintenance and comfortable to be around, and this guy was _it. _He was the one who she was in love with, she would spend every day waking up to that miraculous feeling of being with him every moment in life, because for them, life equaled forever, and sometimes, it feels like forever wouldn't even be enough time to measure how she felt just right now…

There, Quinn was, in a simple, black, elegant gown, with diamond pins attached to her stick, straight, styled hair, and her typical glasses. Her gown was long, with matching heels and a clutch.

Meanwhile, Lola looked the exact opposite, instead, with a short, green, diamond studded in the middle, green dress, and gold shoes. Her hair was styled in vibrant curls, and cherry lipstick on.

Zoey had meanwhile designed her dress, going with long earrings with a gold gown and diamond studded heels at the bottom, provided by her mother, her hair was styled in a neat bun. She wore simple, pink lipstick with bronzer, eye shadow, the typical works……going all out for her special night…..

2 nights before the fateful day of graduation. After 4 years of anticipation, anxiety, frustration, and ups and downs, this was finally their time, their time where the world would be on their fingertips and all would move on to achieve their goals and dreams, become the people they were destined to be.

But it was hard, imagining being in a world separate for the one she created at PCA, escaping that bubble into a far larger one, New York, yeah, she would be living with Lola in an apartment, but she was fearful of how much things would change…

But for now, all she could do was savor this moment….because she didn't know how long it would be until she would be able to see and communicate with the people that she had grown to love so much…

She didn't know how long it would be until she felt like a princess…

She didn't know how long it would be until she saw the faces of Michael, Quinn, Lola, Vince, and even, Logan.

But most of all, she didn't know how long everything would be with Chase Matthews, because he was the most feared on her list….

* * *

"You look beyond beautiful, Zoey Brooks." Chase put a falling strand of hair behind her ear, and leaned in for a soft, deep kiss. "And I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she replied back, unhesitant.

It was then the music had stopped and slowed down to a slower, more romantic melody. He took her back into his arms, both swaying to the music.

_Oceans apart day after day  
And I slowly go insane  
I hear your voice on the line  
But it doesn't stop the pain_

"Chase, why do you love me?" She asked with sincere honesty, her eyes widening with hope…

"How can I explain it?" He questioned back, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Because I can list all the reasons to why I do with you…."

"Most guys could say how beautiful you are Zoey. And you are, very much so, I feel vulnerable, but it's the beauty from within you that shines the most, how you always manage to stand up for what you believe in, never backing down when the going gets tough, and you only do things because you want to do. I've never known that kind of power that comes from someone…"

"And how you don't stand to be a follower but a leader, how you always manage to know who you are and are sure of everything, and it's the way you smile and the way you always manage to do it with me, and I don't even know it…"

_If I see you next to never  
How can we say forever_

_Wherever you go  
Whatever you do  
I will be right here waiting for you  
Whatever it takes  
Or how my heart breaks  
I will be right here waiting for you_

"And it's the fact that you are the first one that I would leap before I look first…..I love you, Zoey Brooks, always have…."

"Always will," she finished….

"ZOEY!" A piercing scream struck their ears. Lola ran frantically towards the annoyed couple, the end of her dress in her hands.

"Help me! Someone practically spilled all of the punch on my dress. Zoey, this is couture! I got it right from Paris! I went to the ends of the Earth to make it perfection."

"Lola, calm down. Prom night is only 1 night."

"I know, but you don't understand, I promised my mom I would take great care of it and return it back home for the runway show. Please…"

"Okay, okay. We'll wash it, don't cry. Its okay, come on." She kissed Chase's cheek quickly. "Sorry," she whispered sympathetically. "I'll be back soon."

He sadly nodded in reply and waved as Lola scurried Zoey off.

* * *

"Zoey, how is it working?"

"It's wet. It's REALLY wet. But we'll dry it off in no time."

Lola put a hand through her wavy curls. "I have to mail it back tonight."

"Lola, it'll be done. I promise. It will be."

It was then that a familiar figure opened the stall to her bathroom and walked out, slowly positioning herself in front of the sink. Zoey then gasped, and clasped Lola's hand.

"Lana….."

Lana smiled politely and nodded towards Lola. "Hey, girls. How's it going?"

Lola raised her eyebrows in amusement, her mood changing quickly. "I think I'm going to go back outside. Vince is waiting."

She patted Zoey's arm in support, chuckling at Lana as she walked out the door.

"Lola! The dress…."

Lana rolled her eyes and grabbed a paper towel. "Typical Lola, huh?"

"How are you?" Zoey asked, concerned. It felt like forever since she had even thought about her perfect boyfriend's ex.

"I'm all right, actually."

She looked as gorgeous as ever, with her hair pulled into a side ponytail with curls cascading down from it. Her dress was a classic halter, lavender dress with long diamond earrings and a matching necklace.

But it was the expression in her face which held the most sadness. Everything else looked priceless, but her deep, dark, mysterious eyes held sorrow and longing.

"I heard you were with Chase," she replied, attempting to break all tension. "I heard. And congrats. You earned a really special guy."

She looked down at her feet.

"Lana, I know this won't do a lot, but if I didn't love him as much as I did, I would have never said anything or jeopardize your relationship in any form or fashion to begin with. I'm not that kind of person and I'm sorry that I hurt you so much this year…"

"I know that you are a good person, Zoey. And, even though I miss him, I wouldn't try to tear you two apart. I should've let go earlier, in the first place."

Her eyes became watery. "You deserve him and he deserves you."

Zoey bit her lip. "Is it okay if we go on a fresh start?"

Lana smiled back. "I don't when I'll see you again."

"We'll cross each others' paths. I know it, someday at least."

Lana reached for her hand. "When we do, then I promise that everything will be relieved and go back to being okay again. Who knows? Maybe I'll see you in Paris one day…"

She let go and opened the door, her head being the only source of her body within the same atmosphere as hers.

"Goodbye, Zoey."

She closed the door, leaving it all behind. She was gone….she was truly, truly gone……

The perfect girl hadn't won; it had been her to win Chase's heart…

And now she had wished her the best…

She truly was something special and now understood why Chase almost picked that girl over her….

* * *

Zoey came back, relieved on the dance floor, that everything between her and Lana wasn't awkward anymore. She saw Chase's figure near the punch bowl and put her manicured fingertips over his eyes. "Guess who," she initiated playfully.

"Oh, could it be, Nicole? I've missed you, bud."

Zoey rolled her eyes. "Nope, someone who isn't as obsessive with boys except for 1…."

"Then, I think I know who it is…."

He released Zoey's hand from his face, and twirled her around, pulling her into a passionate kiss.

"How's Lola?"

"She scurried off to Vince after I encountered Lana in the bathroom…"

Chase's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Lana? Lana Cheong, Lana?"

Zoey rolled her eyes. "What other Lana is there to make Lola leave so suddenly? You know how she is? And yes, Lana Cheong!"

"How did it go?" he spoke out, choosing his words carefully.

"Sometimes I wonder why you let her go and chose me, instead," Zoey replied back, leaning into the arms of her beloved boyfriend.

"Didn't I just go into a rambling explanation to why I love you, Zoey?"

Zoey nodded under his embrace. "I know, but I can't help comparing myself to her, sometimes. She's perfect, Chase. She is…."

Chase snorted. "No, she isn't. I can go into a billion reasons listing Lana's imperfections. Just as I can with me, Michael, Quinn, Lola, and probably infinite ones with Logan. Even you do, Zoey. But it doesn't matter if she's perfect or not, Zoey, because ultimately, its always been just you and me."

"Us," Zoey wistfully said to him as she pulled him in back for a kiss.

They pulled away and he put her forehead to his and kissed it delicately, once more. "_Us." _


End file.
